1973

The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark entered the European Economic Community.
Elizabeth II opened the new London Bridge.
Women were admitted into the London Stock Exchange for the first time.
The Princess Royal announced her engagement to Mark Phillips.
The Dalai Lama made his first visit to the UK.
The speed limit on motorways was reduced to 50 mph from 70 mph until further notice.

The eighth James Bond film – Live and Let Die – was released in British cinemas, with the spy being played for the first time by 45-year-old The Saint star Roger Moore.
London Broadcasting Company, Britain’s first legal commercial Independent Local Radio station, begins broadcasting.
Capital Radio, Britain’s first legal music themed commercial Independent Local Radio station, begins broadcasting.
Television sitcom Last of the Summer Wine began its first series run on BBC One, following a premiere in Comedy Playhouse on 4 January. It would run for 31 series spanning 37 years.

Pink Floyd released The Dark Side of the Moon, the all-time best-selling album by British artists.
David Bowie collapses from exhaustion after a performance at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
Paul McCartney’s new band, Wings, make their live debut at the University of Nottingham. It is McCartney’s first public concert since The Beatles’ 1966 US tour.
Cliff Richard takes part in the 18th Eurovision Song Contest. He finishes in 3rd place with the song “Power to All Our Friends”.
Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells becomes the first release on Richard Branson’s newly launched Virgin label.

Artist	Title
The Sweet	Blockbuster
Slade	Cum On Feel The Noize
Donny Osmond	Twelfth Of Never
Gilbert O’Sullivan	Get Down
Dawn	Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree
Wizzard	See My Baby Jive
Suzi Quatro	Can The Can
10cc	Rubber Bullets
Slade	Skweeze Me Pleeze Me
Peters & lee	Welcome Home
Gary Glitter	I’m The Leader Of The Gang (I Am)
Donny Osmond	Young Love
Wizzard	Angel Fingers
The Simon Park Orchestra	Eye Level
David Cassidy	Daydreamer/The Puppy Song
Slade	Merry Xmas Everybody

Liverpool and Celtic F.C. were crowned league champions of football in England and Scotland respectively.
Sunderland A.F.C. achieved a shock 1–0 win over Leeds United in the FA Cup final at Wembley. Ian Porterfield scores the only goal of the game. It was the first time that an FA Cup winning team had not contained a single player to be capped at full international level, and the first postwar FA Cup won by a side outside the First Division.
Gordon Banks, the Stoke City and England goalkeeper, announced his retirement from football having lost the sight in one eye in a car crash in October last year.

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